Political commentary and media critique

Welcome to the April 17, 2011 edition of the Anything Goes Carnival of Politics.

Politics

Nicole Adams presents Will the Illegal Immigrant Issue Bite the Republicans in Oklahoma? posted at Law Enforcement Training, saying, “There are many issues that currently plague the state of Oklahoma, but the one’s that raising the most dust is the recent bill that was passed to allow state law enforcement officers to enquire about the immigration status of residents… The state is divided over the issue, and the contention is not between the Democrats and the Republicans, but between two sects of the GOP.”

just4theplanet presents Budget 2011: Green measures posted at Just 4 the Planet, saying, “After listening to George Osbourne’s budget speech one might ask – who could possibly argue with a better balanced Britain, one in which the workforce has better skills and small businesses are able to get access to the funds they need to set up a business? As Osborne went through his plans for a supply-side revolution however it should be noted that there is one big problem – the plan for growth takes place against a backdrop of an economy that is cooling rapidly, …”

Current Events

Eric Bauer presents Picking And Choosing The Winners posted at Vote Bauer, saying, “The events in Libya have made me wonder about the role of the U.S. government, not only domestically, but internationally as well. A lot of questions have arisen inside my mind regarding the behavior of the Government in certain situations, usually dire ones. ”

Marilyn Stowe presents Purim and the curious case of M v F & Others posted at Marilyn Stowe Family Law and Divorce Blog, saying, “This weekend marked the Jewish festival of Purim. It commemorates Queen Esther, who managed to save the lives of the Persian Jews who were to be massacred by the wicked noble Haman. By begging for their lives, the Queen put herself at great risk. The King, who didn’t know she was Jewish herself, was moved by her pleas. He ordered Haman to be executed and the Jews were saved.”

Liberal

Ryan Raba presents What’s so bad about Socialism? posted at The Raba Review, saying, “Socialism has a bad rap in America. Many people, particularly of the conservative persuasion, naturally associate socialism with government control, loss of freedom, and anti-democracy. Capitalism on the other hand, is what many believe America is all about. It drives industry and prosperity and freedom for all, it’s what made this nation great. Every now and then though, particularly when the economy is down, it’s fun to explore the pros and cons of capitalism compared to socialism. ”

Madeleine Begun Kane presents Brace For Another Pounding From Pound-Foolish Policies posted at Mad Kane’s Political Madness, saying, “There are three categories of spending in which cuts lead to more, rather than less, spending down the line, says Alice Rivlin, former director of both the Congressional Budget Office and the Office of Management and Budget. Inspection, enforcement and maintenance. The GOP is trying to cut all three.”

smrtas1 presents Is the US Broke? posted at Conservative Patriot HQ, saying, “The Progressive movement is embracing a new talking point that the United States is not broke, but that rich people and banks have taken all our money. Progressives simply want to take “our” money back and presto, deficit and debt problems would be solved.”

Independent

Jeff Bartelli presents A Simple Explanation: What Is The Economy? posted at Distant Observer, saying, “This is a simple explanation offering an analogy for the economy as a whole and pointing out what is truly wrong with it. It is intended for lay readers who always hear politicians talk about the economy without really saying anything about it.”

From the Left

Jacob presents Another War, Another Lie posted at FreeTheTruth, saying, “Here we go again with another ridiculous and illegitimate war by the U.S. and its allies. The recent intervention in Libya will no doubt turn out to be another Iraq or Afghanistan. In other words, a totally failed cause.”

just4theplanet presents USA: The Grand Old Party (GOP) should be renamed EOE – Enemy of the Environment posted at Just 4 the Planet, saying, “We’ve been very critical of the Republicans in the United States where the politicization of climate change science has reached new heights. In a direct challenge to president Obama’s plan to regulate greenhouse emissions, they are doing their utmost to reverse all steps the EPA has taken to regulate emissions, including its ruling that greenhouse gas emissions constitute a threat to public health and can therefore be regulated through the existing Clean Air Act.”

From the Right

Dividist presents Ministry of Truth issues Deficit Reduction Plan posted at Divided We Stand United We Fall, saying, “There is plenty to criticize about the President’s Deficit Reduction Plan above and beyond the doublespeak nonsense. The primary criticism being – it is not a plan. At least not a plan in in the same category as the Simpson-Bowles Plan or the Paul Ryan Plan – both of which offered 70+ pages of unvarnished detail unsullied by Orwellian euphemism. There are few details offered in the President’s seven page framework, which can be more accurately described as general spending and revenue goals wrapped in partisan rhetoric. The saddest aspect of the President’s presentation is that on that one crucial point, the President is right. Revenues will indeed need to increase in addition to massive spending cuts. However, the point is lost in the absurdity of the presentation.”

Media

Safa Samiezade’-Yazd presents Jon Stewart’s Persian Counterpart posted at Politics for Change, saying, “A Daily Show knockoff in IRAN? Imagine turning on the TV to your favorite show, only to find the screen in complete vertigo and your ears numbed to the atonal drone you can’t wait to put on mute.”